It doesn't have to be true for everyone, but it is a reality for many teachers: the first few weeks of your summer vacation are probably going to be leisurely, as they should be. But then a nagging voice is likely to appear in your head. It will tell you (repeatedly) that you should be getting ready. You will probably try to fight it, but it will get harder with time. Because you know those holidays just fly by, don't they?

You know you shouldn't let the beginning of the new school year catch you off guard. But on the other hand, you know you shouldn't let the excessive preparation ruin your well-deserved holiday. The good news is you can find a balance, and find some time to prepare to go back to school with no stress, while still having time to rest.

Here are five tips on how to manage this balance like a pro.

Reflect back on your last year

Look back at your last school year - the way you've worked, what you felt. Put yourself first for a moment and recognise possible negative patterns regarding your work-life balance. What would you like to do differently? Take some time to also recognise positive patterns regarding your work-life balance. What would you like to continue? Write down all the significant discoveries.

Decide to start fresh

Now that you're done with thinking about the past school year, let the actual moments and expectations of last year go. Coming into class with leftover or preconceived notions and attitudes can harm both you and your students and affect your relationship profoundly. The new year is coming, so try to treat it that way.

Better organising to reduce stress

If you've been losing sleep over preparing lessons and tests during the last year, it might be a sign that you're not feeling organized enough. Being tired and sleepless is unpleasant as it is, but it also stresses you out in the long run. Start to organize yourself better by getting a planner (or a planning app) and start writing things down. You can write down stand-alone ideas for your class (such as literature lists, classroom layouts, science experiments, etc.), but make some concrete plans as well - when and where will you go on an excursion, lesson plans, etc.

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Work a bit, but not too much

While we all want to make the best and the most of our holiday, it turns out that doing some work before the beginning of the new working season pays off in the sense you'll be feeling less anxious and more ready. Going through last year's notes and lesson plans, and finishing that teaching book counts as work too.

Take care of yourself

Use the last weeks or days of your holiday to recharge genuinely. The best way to restore your energy levels seems to be the combination of spending time in nature, breathing with meditation, and any physical activity such as exercising, yoga, or running. Also, try to stay away from devices as much as you can. While you may feel the need to do a lot of work for your students, the truth is that they won't benefit much from a teacher who burned out even before the year has started. So relax, and look ahead to the new school confidently knowing that a recharged teacher is the best way to start a new school year.